System and methods for monitoring energy consumption and reducing standby power

• US 8,362,918 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: Korea Electronics Technology Institute (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Park, Youngchoong, Ahn, Yangkeun, Jung, Kwangmo, Park, Woochool, Seo, Haemoon, Seo, Kyeunghak, Choi, Kwangsoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T
• Application Number:
  US12/644,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310, 340/870, 706/46, 706/61, 455/574, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/343.4, 370/311, 370/318
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A power saving system and method for the home appliances and home network devices is provided. The system provides an energy consumption monitoring and standby power saving system that is connected to home appliances and that may detect the amount of power consumed by corresponding home appliances. The system includes one or more energy saving nodes which approve application or shut-off power to a corresponding home appliances, and an energy saving server that is connected to each of the energy saving nodes and collects status information of the corresponding home appliances including said amount of power consumption from said nodes.

Claims

1. A system for reducing power and monitoring electric energy consumed by electrical devices, the system comprising:

at least two energy saving nodes that are connected electrical devices, wherein each energy saving node detects an amount of power consumed by a corresponding electrical device, and approves application or shut-off of power to the corresponding electrical device; and

an energy saving server that is connected to each of the energy saving nodes and that collects various status information of the electrical devices including an amount of power consumption detected by the energy saving nodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy saving nodes and the energy saving server are connected through a Power Line Communication (PLC) or a Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN).

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy saving server includes a communication interface to communicate with a higher level system located in a power supplier who supplies power to a network including the system, or that is located in a power service provider who carries out power related services.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the energy saving server is integrally implemented with a gateway of a network.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the energy saving server includes a gateway interface for interworking with an external gateway of a network.

6. An energy saving server for a system for reducing power and monitoring electric energy consumed by electrical devices, the energy saving server comprising:

an interface connected to at least one energy saving node which detects an amount of power consumed by each of the electrical devices, and approves application or shut-off of power to each of the electrical devices;

a functional module which collects status information including the amount of power consumed by each of the electrical devices, through the interface; and

a functional module which outputs a power control signal to the energy saving nodes through the interface to control each of the electrical devices, based on the status information.

7. The energy saving server of claim 6, wherein the functional module that outputs the power control signal outputs the power control signal to the at least one energy saving node to shut off standby power of a corresponding electrical device based on the collected status information.

8. The energy saving server of claim 7, wherein, when the standby power is a communication standby power, the functional module that outputs the power control signal:

outputs the power control signal to the at least one energy saving node to shut off the standby power when it receives standby status of the corresponding electrical device from the at least one energy saving node to shut off the standby power; and

prepares a stop command for the corresponding electrical device to store context information including at least one of a network setting and an equipment setting necessary when the corresponding electrical device wakes up, into a memory of the electrical device or a memory of the energy saving server.

9. An energy saving server for a system for reducing power and monitoring electric energy consumed by electrical devices connected to at least one energy saving node which detects an amount of power consumed by each of the electrical devices and approves application or shut-off of power to each of the electrical devices, the energy saving server comprising:

a functional module which collects status information including the amount of power consumed by each of the electrical devices;

a functional module which outputs a power control signal to the energy saving node to control each of the electrical devices, based on the status information; and

a functional module which transfers collected status information to a higher level system located in a power supplier who supplies power to the electrical devices, or located in a power service provider who carries out power related services.

10. The energy saving server of claim 9, further comprising at least one of a communication interface to provide consumed power monitoring or setting functions, an interface through an Internet protocol (IP) network, or a user interface through an application program provided by the energy saving server itself via a the network.

11. The energy saving server of claim 10, further comprising an energy consumption monitoring functional module by which a user verifies energy consumption status through the user interface after calculation of consumed amount of power for at least one of a specific time period, a specific appliance, a specific time period for a specific electrical device, an accumulated amount of power used, and an estimated electricity cost data based on the collected status information.

12. The energy saving server of claim 11, further comprising a functional module supporting user settings through the user interface and performing an alarm based on the user settings.

13. The energy saving server of claim 12, further comprising a functional module interworking current operation status of information devices with a gateway functional module or a gateway of the network.

14. An energy saving node located between a power supply and an electrical device, the energy saving node comprising:

a detection means for detection of a voltage and/or a current supplied to the electrical device;

a power output means to apply or shut off power the electrical device;

a notification means to output status information including an amount of power consumed by the electrical device in an audio-visual manner; and

control means for calculating the status information including the amount of power consumed by the electrical device based on the voltage and/or current values inputted from detected by the detection means, and controlling the power output means based on the status information.

15. An energy saving node located between a power supply and an electrical device, the energy saving node comprising:

a detection means for detecting a voltage and/or current supplied to the electrical device;

a power output means to apply or shut off power to the electrical device;

a network interface means for communicating with a higher level energy saving server; and

a control means for controlling the power output means, generating status information including an amount of power consumed by the electrical device based on the voltage and/or current detected by the detection means, and transferring the status information to a the energy saving server through the network interface means.

16. The energy saving of claim 15, wherein the power output means includes an always-on-state relay switch which becomes on-state when power is not supplied.

17. The energy saving node of claim 16, wherein the detection means includes a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based voltage and/or current sensors.

18. The energy saving node of claim 17, wherein the control means controls operations of the power output means automatically or by a command of the energy saving server.

19. The energy saving node of claim 18, wherein the network interface means is based on at least one of a Power Line Communication (PLC), a ZigBee, and a Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN).

20. The energy saving node of claim 18, further comprising at least one of an outlet type which is an embedded or multi-tap type, an adaptor type that can be used by plugging into an outlet, and a built-in type that can be installed inside of the electrical device.